(Lesson) Lesson
(Print) Print
(Menu) Menu
NAME 
CLASS DATE SCORE 


Selection Test 
from Beowulf 

translated by Burton Raffel 


Pupils Edition page 20 

Comprehension (30 points; 6 points each) 
On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. 


____ 1. 
Beowulf slays Grendel to 


a. save Hrothgar and the Danes from the monster 
b. prevent Grendel from invading the land of the Geats 
c. enhance Unferths reputation as a warrior 
d. carry off the treasure in Grendels lair 
____ 2. 
Unferth challenges Beowulf because Unferth 

a. wants to prove that Beowulf is a liar 
b. envies Beowulfs fame and courage 
c. knows that he is stronger than Beowulf 
d. thinks Brecca is a better man than Beowulf 
____ 3. 
Which of the following statements about Wiglaf is true? 

a. He believes in and speaks about the intrinsic goodness of all people. 
b. He is not a worthy successor to the throne because he is inexperienced. 
c. He makes an eloquent speech about the virtues of loyalty and bravery. 
d. He tells Beowulf that the other warriors will desert Beowulf when he needs 
them most. 
____ 4. 
What last thoughts does Beowulf express as he is dying? 

a. a desire for respect and pride in his ability to protect his people 
b. bitterness because his soldiers did not help him fight the dragon 
c. fear that the kingdom of the Geats will disintegrate after he dies 
d. affection and longing for his family 
____ 5. 
Which of the following events is most important in Beowulfs career as leader of the 
Geats? 

a. the attack on the dragon 
b. the speech for the prince 
c. the celebration that involved both Danes and Geats 
d. the tracing of the bloody footprints 
Literary Elements 

On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. 

The Epic Hero (10 points; 5 points each) 

____ 6. 
Which of the following statements best supports the idea that Beowulf is an epic 
hero? 

a. He displays intense pride in his country. 
b. He becomes more humble over time. 
c. He loves nature and abhors civilization. 
d. He embodies the ideals of Anglo-Saxon society. 
Elements of Literature 
Formal Assessment 3 



(Menu) Menu
(Print) Print
(Lesson) Lesson
NAME 
CLASS DATE SCORE 

____ 7. 
Which of the following statements best shows that Beowulf has the ethics of an epic 
hero? 

a. Beowulf wins a swimming contest. 
b. Beowulf berates Unferth for killing his own kin. 
c. Beowulf asks his followers to steal the dragons hoard. 
d. Beowulf makes a pact with Grendel. 
Alliteration and Kennings (10 points; 5 points each) 

____ 8. 
Which of the following quotations from Beowulf contains alliteration? 

a. Murderous flames, spreading them everywhere. 
b. But war could have followed. 
c. The ancient blade broke, bit . . ., drew blood 
d. The monster came quickly toward him. 
____ 9. 
Which of the following quotations from Beowulf contains a kenning? 

a. And all at once the greedy she-wolf 
b. At last he saw the mud of the bottom. 
c. Woven metal had not helped 
d. the steel-edged blade lay where / Hed dropped it. 
Vocabulary (20 points; 2 points each) 

Match the definition on the left with the Word to Own on the right. Write the letter of the Word 
to Own on the line provided. 

____ 10. 
cries of grief a. sinews 

____ 11. 
payment to compensate for wrongdoing b. pilgrimage 

____ 12. 
peace c. laments 

____ 13. 
highly annoyed d. solace 

____ 14. 
punishment in return for an injury e. vexed 

____ 15. 
tendons f. taut 

____ 16. 
journey made to a place of religious or historical interest g. murky 

____ 17. 
disgusting h. reparation 

____ 18. 
shadowy i. reprisal 

____ 19. 
stretched tight j. loathsome 

Written Response (30 points) 

20. 
All heroes slay dragonspowerful forces of one kind or another. Some heroes, such as 
Mother Teresa, combat the monsters of disease and poverty, while others, such as the first 
astronauts, conquer their own fears while exploring uncharted territory. What challenges of 
Anglo-Saxon life are represented by the monsters Beowulf fights? On a separate sheet of 
paper, write a paragraph in which you answer the question drawing on your knowledge of 
Anglo-Saxon society and on the imagery associated with the monsters in the selection. 
Support your ideas with at least two references to Anglo-Saxon life or Beowulf. 
4 Formal Assessment 
Elements of Literature 


(Menu) Menu
(Print) Print
(Lesson) Lesson
Answer Key Answer Key 
THE ANGLO-SAXONS 


LITERARY PERIOD INTRODUCTION 
TEST, page 1 

1. d 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. c 
6. d 7. c 8. a 9. d 10. c 
Collection 1: Songs of Ancient Heroes 

from Beowulf 

SELECTION TEST, page 3 
Comprehension 

1. a 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. a 
Literary Elements 

6. d 7. b 8. c 9. a 
Vocabulary 
10. c 11. h 12. d 13. e 14. i 
15. a 16. b 17. j 18. g 19. f 

Written Response 

20. 
Responses will vary. In a model response, students 
should fulfill the following criteria: 
 demonstrate understanding of the prompt 
 describe challenges in Anglo-Saxon life that 
the monsters in Beowulf represent. For 
example: 
 The monsters may represent enemies from 
other lands. Warfare was a constant condition 
of Anglo-Saxon life. The monsters 
ferociousness and ruthlessness suggest the 
violence of marauding warriors. 
 The monsters carnage might symbolize the 
brevity of life in Anglo-Saxon timeswar, 
disease, and an extraordinarily harsh environment 
caused many people to die young. 
 incorporate knowledge of Anglo-Saxon 
society as well as images associated with the 
monster. For example: 
 The warriors of Anglo-Saxon times, like the 
monsters, were ruthless, destroying almost 
everything and everyone they encountered. 
Similarly, Grendel commits wholesale 
slaughter at Herot, delighting in the blood 
he spills; Grendels mother takes savage 
revenge, invading Herot and killing 
Hrothgars best friend; and the dragon, 
furious because someone stole its jeweled 
cup, lays waste to all the land of the Geats. 
Each monster is relentless, merciless, and 
viciouslike an invading warrior. 

 
support ideas with at least two references to 
Anglo-Saxon life and Beowulf (previous examples 
are sufficient) 
The Seafarer 

SELECTION TEST, page 5 
Comprehension 

1. a 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. c 
6. c 7. a 
Literary Element 

8. c 9. d 
Written Response 

10. 
Responses will vary. In a model response, students 
should fulfill the following criteria: 
 demonstrate understanding of the prompt 
 relate the speakers travels on the seas to his 
views about life. For example: 
 The speakers difficult seafaring experiences 
color his view of life; he believes life 
is difficult and brief. He also emphasizes 
the dangers and uncertainties of sea travel, 
so he seems to view life as perilous and 
unpredictable. However, he longs to be at 
sea again, so despite lifes hardships, he still 
has hope and yearns for adventure. 
 support their ideas with at least two examples 
from The Seafarer (previous examples 
are sufficient) 
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, 
page 7 

1. d 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. a 
6. d 7. c 8. b 9. c 10. b 
Elements of Literature 
Formal Assessment 241 


